Joel Osteen - You Are Good Seed (08/10/2020)
Drawing from biblical truths and stories like Joseph’s and Esther’s, Joel Osteen encourages believers to recognize they are «good seed» with God’s divine DNA, destined for greatness despite obstacles, mistakes, or unfair circumstances. Negative experiences are merely fertilizer, and God has strategically planted us now for such a time as this to flourish and leave our mark.
You’re Not Average—You’re Good Seed!
I want to talk to you today about how you are good seed. Life tries to convince us that we are average. There is nothing special about us. We had too many obstacles; we will never accomplish our dreams. We have made too many mistakes; we will never leave our mark.
We do not realize who we are. The scripture says we have the divine nature of God; we are His offspring. That means you have the DNA of Almighty God. In your seed is favor, creativity, courage, new levels. You cannot have God’s DNA and be average. That seed will override challenges; that seed will propel you where you cannot go on your own.
Unlock Your God-Given Potential
If you are going to reach your potential, you have to know—you are good seed. God would not have breathed His life into you; He would not have chosen you before you could choose Him if you did not have purpose, destiny, greatness. There is something in you that will cause you to leave your mark.
You may have made mistakes, but that did not stop the seed. You may have come from negative circumstances, but that does not change your seed. Do not let how you were raised, what you did not get, any dysfunction convince you that you are not up to par, you cannot do something great. The environment does not change the seed.
You can have bad circumstances, but because you are good seed, you are still going to shine; you are still going to blossom.
Bad Breaks Can’t Stop Good Seed
A young lady told me how when her mother was pregnant with her, she was addicted to drugs. When she was born, she had the same addiction. It seemed like she was at a disadvantage. She was sent from foster home to foster home; all the odds were against her. But today she is successful; she runs her own company, she has healthy children, a great marriage.
Why is that? Bad circumstances cannot stop good seed. Can I tell you? You are good seed. God has crowned you with favor. You have royal blood flowing through your veins. You would not be here if you were not equipped, empowered, and anointed.
You may have been raised in an unhealthy environment by people that had issues, but here is the key: you came through your mother, but you came from Almighty God. Who you come from is more important than who you come through.
Dysfunction? Just Fertilizer for Growth!
The soil may not always be perfect, but because your seed is so good, you will succeed despite the dysfunction. You will prosper despite the economy. You will raise great children despite negative influences. You will overcome the illness despite what the medical report says.
All these negative circumstances—really, they are just fertilizer. They cannot stop your seed. The stinky stuff, the bad breaks, the people that walked away—we do not like it, but it did not stop your destiny; it is simply fertilizing your seed. It made you stronger, more confident. And do not complain about the fertilizer; you need fertilizer to boost your growth.
We have some flower beds at home, and a couple of times a year we put mulch in them. One of the main ingredients of mulch is manure. It smells so badly you could hardly stay outside, but in a couple of months the smell is gone, and the plants are blooming, blossoming, seeing new growth.
Life Stinks Sometimes? It’s Fertilizer!
The fertilizer, as stinky as it smells, is providing valuable nutrients and minerals for the plants. Sometimes life stinks; we go through things that are not fair. We came down with an illness; our child is struggling; the business is slow. We think these negative circumstances are going to stop us.
Have a new perspective: it is fertilizer. It stinks, but it is not working against you; it is working for you. God is going to take what was meant for your harm and turn it to your advantage. It was meant to stop you, but if you keep believing, keep thanking God, keep doing the right thing, you are going to come out stronger, healthier, better than you were before.
Do not sweat the stinky stuff. We all have fertilizer: that coworker who gets on your nerves, always trying to stir up trouble. Next time you see them, instead of being frustrated, under your breath say, «You are just fertilizer. You are trying to push me down; you do not realize I am good seed. I have the DNA of Almighty God.»
No Force Can Stop What God Destined
What He has destined for you, no person can stop. What God has put in your seed—that greatness, that purpose—no sickness, no addiction, no trouble; all the forces of darkness cannot keep your seed from flourishing.
Just as with Joseph—betrayed by his brothers, thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, falsely accused, put in prison—one bad break after another. He could have been depressed: «God, You said I would be in leadership; I must have heard You wrong.»
He understood this principle: bad circumstances cannot stop good seed; negative situations are simply fertilizer. They are necessary so you can bloom. When his brothers betrayed him, instead of trying to get even, his attitude was, «They just fertilized me.» When Potiphar’s wife falsely accused him, «I am not worried; more fertilizer.»
From Prison to Palace—Fertilizer Works!
One day unexpectedly the Pharaoh called for Joseph. He went to the palace; he ended up making Joseph the prime minister of Egypt.
When you understand that you are good seed, that what God promised will come to pass, then you will not complain about the fertilizer. The fertilizer is necessary. Yes, it stinks; yes, it is uncomfortable, but it is making that seed stronger. It is developing your character; it is giving you endurance; it is getting you prepared to blossom, in position to see the greatness of our God.
I talked to a man that was so upset because his boss was against him, always trying to make him look bad. I told him what I am telling you: it is fertilizer. Stay on the high road, and God will not only do a work in you but He will take care of your enemies.
It may stink right now, but do not worry—fertilizer stinks; that means you are about to see new growth.
Tables Turned: Boss Works for Him Now!
He got his passion back and went to the office, being his best, taking the high road, working unto God, not unto men. Several occasions he should have been promoted, but because of this unfair boss he was passed over.
One day the CEO of the whole company was in town, and this man had to give a report. The CEO was very impressed with his work. About a year later a position came available that should have gone to his boss, but this CEO skipped over the boss and went straight to this man and offered the position to him.
Now, instead of having to work for that boss who was hard to get along with, the tables have turned—the boss is working for him. One touch of God’s favor and you will go from the back to the front, from the prison to the palace.
«Well, Joel, I have got a lot of fertilizer only. I have a lot coming against me.» That tells me you are about to blossom in an amazing way. You would not have that difficulty; you would not have all that fertilizer if God was not about to do something awesome in your life.
Weed Growing Through Concrete? Impossible—Yet It Happens!
I was out in my driveway the other day; I saw this weed growing up in the middle of the concrete. I thought: How is that possible? The concrete is hard; there is no good soil; the conditions are totally unfavorable.
But when God wants your seed to come up, concrete cannot stop it; bad breaks cannot stop it. The life God put in you is more powerful than any force that is trying to hold you back.
Think about a little seed even planted in the ground—the dirt that is on top of it is hundreds of times heavier. People can walk on top of the dirt, push it down, compact it, make it harder. The seed does not look like it has a chance.
The dirt could say, «Too bad; you are done. You will never overpower me; I am bigger, stronger, heavier.» But the seed does not worry. The seed does not start complaining, «I thought I was supposed to grow; I thought I was going to be a beautiful flower. I guess it was not meant to be.»
Rest—Let God’s Life in You Do the Work
No, the seed just rests in what God created it to be. The seed does not have to do the work; it lets the life put in it by its Creator do the work. Before long that little seed opens up, and against all odds it begins to push back the dirt. Over time it is standing above the ground with beautiful flowers shining brightly.
You may have some dirt on you now; do not worry—you are good seed. What God put in you is more powerful than what is trying to stop you. Like that little seed, you do not have to make it happen, try to manipulate things, force it to work, live stressed out. No, you can rest knowing that the seed is going to do the work.
The scripture (Jeremiah 1:12) says, «God watches over His word to perform it.» His word is called seed. In the same way, God is watching over your seed; He is making sure that what He put in you is going to come to pass.
Buried or Planted? Change Your Perspective!
Good seed is not stopped by bad circumstances; good seed is not stopped by opposition. In life you will have some dirt put on you; at times it feels like you are buried—you will never get past the sickness, this trouble, this addiction. It is dark; you feel pressure all around; you do not see a way out.
The good news is: you are not buried; you are planted. The difference is: when you are buried, you are done, but when you are planted, you are coming up again—stronger, healthier, more successful.
But here is the key: being planted feels the same as being buried. It is dark; it is uncomfortable; we do not see anything good; there is pressure. If you judge things too soon, you will get discouraged, give up on your dreams, think it will never work out.
God has you hearing this to let you know: you are not buried; you are planted. Yes, it is uncomfortable. Yes, you do not understand it. But this is not the end; the seed God put in you is about to spring forth—the dreams, the health, the freedom, the abundance, the right people.
Do not be discouraged by the dirt; the seed is designed to push back the dirt; it is designed to outlast the opposition. The seed will not fail; the life of Almighty God is in that seed.
Strategically Planted by the Master Gardener
My grandfather was a great gardener. He loved to plant things; he knew how to grow all kinds of fruits, vegetables, flowers. One thing that made him so good at gardening is he knew when to plant; he knew there was a specific time to plant tomatoes, a specific time to plant roses.
Just because he had good seed, if he did not plant it at the right time, it would not become what it should. He did not just randomly plant whenever he felt like it; he did it strategically. He made sure it was the right season and all the conditions were in place so the seed could grow.
Jesus said in John 15:1 that God is the gardener. He knew exactly when to plant you.
Born for Such a Time as This!
You could have been born 300 years ago; you could have lived 200 years from now. You did not just happen to show up on planet Earth today; your parents just decided to have a baby. God knew you before you were formed in your mother’s womb.
When God, as the master gardener, thought about when to plant you, He did not just randomly do it, just pick a date, pick any time—God is strategic. Like my grandfather knew there was a specific time to plant, God looked down through the ages of time; He studied what would be going on, what the economy would be like, the culture, the technology, the opposition.
He took into account everything we would face; then He put His DNA in us; He matched us with this season we would live in.
The scripture says in Acts 17: God predetermined when you would be born, where you would be born, and what tribe, what family you would come from.
Handpicked for Right Now!
Before your parents ever breathed a breath, before they ever showed up, God already knew you and chose when you would live. He planted you for this time; this is your moment. You have been equipped and empowered. He put His anointing on your life, His favor. You have the talent, the courage, the connections.
Everything has been strategically thought out: you are not lacking; the obstacles you faced are not too much for you. If you could not handle it, God would not have planted you now. If the giants were too big, you would not be here. If the dream was not attainable, you would not have breath.
You are here for such a time as this. God knew there would be a pandemic; He knew there would be people trying to stop you; He knew about that illness you would have to face, the opposition that looks too big.
The fact that He planted you now tells me: the conditions are right for you to succeed; the conditions are right for you to leave your mark.
Concrete Soil? You’ll Still Blossom!
The circumstances may not be good, but God would not have planted you at this time if the soil was not conducive for your seed to grow. Sometimes the soil may feel like concrete, but you have to remind yourself: you are still going to blossom; you are still going to flourish.
Why? You are good seed. You have been strategically planted by the master gardener. You are not like a weed; you just randomly popped up, randomly got here with no purpose. No, your destiny has been carefully planned.
When you understand that you have been chosen for this time, it will give you a greater confidence.
God could have chosen David to live now. He could have chosen Abraham, Sarah, Ruth. But when He strategized about who will be the right people for these years? Who can I trust in that difficult time? Who has the courage, the talent, the fortitude to carry out My will, to do awesome things?
God Chose YOU for This Moment
He passed over all the saints of old; He looked beyond Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Mary, Martha, and He looked into your eyes; He said, «That is who I can count on. That is the right one for this hour.»
He did not just send you here on your own; He put His DNA in you. He equipped you with what you need to succeed at this time.
You may not have what Moses had, but you do not need what he had. God planted you now because this is the right time for you to flourish, to blossom, to accomplish dreams, to overcome obstacles, to leave your mark.
Even in the natural, do you know what a miracle it is that you were conceived? When your father’s seed was trying to connect with your mother’s egg, there were 250,000,000 sperm fighting for that one spot. What are the chances that you would win?
You Defied 250 Million Odds—You’re Destined!
You are not an accident. When it was your time, God said, «All right, I am going to plant them now.» That is why you could fight all 250,000,000, and your seed connected; you entered that womb. God destined you to be here.
Before you showed up, you defied the odds; before you were born, you defeated giants. You are already an overcomer; you are already victorious; you were born with favor. Without God’s blessing, you would have never made it into this world.
Here is my point: God would not have gone to all that trouble if you were average; He would not have carefully and strategically planned out your destiny if you were just supposed to drift through life, overcome by problems, struggle to make it.
He chose you because you are good seed. You have greatness in you. You are destined to take your family to a new level.
Don’t Dare Think You’re Ordinary
After all God has done—handpicked you for this time, put His DNA in you, crowned you with His favor—do not you dare go through life thinking you are ordinary: «I cannot overcome this challenge; I will never get well; I have reached my limits.»
God would not have planted you now if that was going to stop you. He knew what the economy would be; He knew the struggles, the opposition. The fact that He planted you is a sure sign: you are well able to overcome, well able to raise those children, well able to beat that cancer, well able to accomplish your dreams.
Jeremiah 17:8 says, «You will be like a tree planted by the water, a tree not bothered by the heat or long months of drought. Your leaves will stay green, and they will keep on producing luscious fruit.»
Good seed is not affected by the drought. Good seed keeps on producing even in famine. Good seed outlasts the opposition. Good seed accomplishes its dreams bigger than you imagine.
Mistakes Don’t Change Your Seed
I know today I am looking at good seed; I am looking at people that have been handpicked by the Creator of the universe. I am looking at people that have greatness in them—great parents, great students, great leaders, people that have great influence, great wisdom, great opportunities. I am looking at people that are healthy, free, redeemed, restored, victorious.
«Well, Joel, this sounds good, but I have made a lot of mistakes. That is why I am down on myself.» That did not change your seed. You are still good seed.
Abraham is the father of our faith; he was a great man—no disrespect—but Abraham lied, told the king that Sarah was his sister and not his wife. Abraham had a baby out of wedlock. He was not perfect; he had made mistakes. But the scripture says Abraham did not waver in his faith.
Lying seems like wavering to me. Having a baby with someone other than your wife seems like wavering.
God Approved You Before You Did Anything
But God does not judge the way we judge. We look at our faults, our weaknesses, the times we fail. We let the accuser fill our minds with condemnation: «I am not good seed; look at the mistakes I have made. I am not good seed; I went through a divorce; my business failed; I am struggling with an addiction.»
Do you think you can do something that would change the seed God put in you? That you can override what He breathed into your DNA? You are not that powerful. You cannot change what God has already done.
He is saying to you what He said to Jeremiah: «I knew you before you were formed in your mother’s womb, and I approved you.» Before Jeremiah did anything good, before he showed up on planet Earth, God said, «I approved you.»
Too often we are trying to work for God’s approval—to be good enough, strong enough, disciplined enough. The problem is we all fail; we all make mistakes. But that does not change what God put in you: you are still good seed; you can still fulfill your destiny; you can still become who you were created to be.
Greatness Is About to Burst Out of You!
Do not let the accuser convince you that you have blown it too many times: «You do not measure up; God will never be pleased with you.» God is saying to you today, «I have approved you; My hand of favor is on you. I have forgiveness for your mistakes, mercy for your failures, favor for your future.»
I wonder what would happen if every day you would start saying, «I am good seed.» When the accuser whispers, «You are a hypocrite; look at your mistakes, ” say it again: „Father, thank You that I am good seed, that You have mercy for my mistakes, that what You started in my life You will finish.“
Good seed will override mistakes you have made. Good seed overrides failures, times you did not measure up. You have been planted at this time not only because God believes in you but because He has equipped you. You are full of can-do power.
The forces that are for you are greater than the forces that are trying to stop you. God is breathing in your direction right now. Chains that have held you back are being broken. New doors of opportunity are about to open.
God is about to show you a sign of His favor; He is going to do something unusual, out of the ordinary, something that has never happened in your family—it is going to defy the odds. Get ready; the greatness God put in you is about to come out.
Esther: From Orphan to Savior of a Nation
He does not have you here just to take up space; there is an assignment for you to accomplish, something that only you can do. Without you stepping into your purpose, this world will not be what it should be.
There was a young Jewish lady in the scripture named Esther. She was an orphan; she lost both of her parents, raised in poverty. She had all these bad breaks; it looked like she was at a disadvantage; she would never do anything great.
But bad circumstances cannot stop good seed. What did not work out, how you were raised, who left you, the illness—that did not stop your destiny; that does not mean you will never leave your mark. Why? Because you are good seed. The Most High God breathed His life into you.
You are still going to flourish; you are still going to meet someone great; you are still going to live healthy and whole; you are still going to start that business.
The king of Persia decided to have a beauty pageant so he could find a wife. Someone invited Esther to enter. Out of the thousands of girls in the Persian empire, Esther was chosen as the queen—the least likely one.
For Such a Time as This—Your Moment!
A man named Haman, one of the king’s advisers, came up with a plan to get rid of all the Jews. The king did not know that Esther was Jewish. When her uncle heard about it, he said, „You have to talk to the king; tell him about this plan.“
She said, „I cannot go in without the king holding up his scepter; I could lose my life.“ Her uncle said, „If you remain silent, help for the Jews will come from someone else, but who knows that you were brought to this position for such a time as this.“
He was saying, „Esther, this is what you were born for. This is your time to shine.“
Esther got the courage up, went in to see the king; she ended up saving the people of Israel. Who would have thought God would use this young girl, someone that was seen as insignificant? Yet we are talking about her as one of the heroes of faith. All the odds were against her, but bad circumstances cannot stop good seed.
Can I tell you again: you are good seed. You do not know the amazing things God has in store for you.
Why do not you start seeing yourself the right way? Stop focusing on what you do not have, how big the obstacles are, the mistakes you have made—start focusing on the fact that you are a person of destiny. The Creator of the universe handpicked you for this particular time—it is your time to shine; it is your time to step into new levels.
You may feel like you have been buried; have a new perspective: you are planted. You are about to spring back up—healthier, stronger, better than you were before.
I believe and declare: greatness is about to come out of you—talent that you did not know you had; problems are about to turn around; healing is coming, freedom, breakthroughs, opportunities, the fullness of your destiny, in Jesus’ name.